Chapter 195 : Side Story 20 [The End]
Side Story 20 [The End]
Uriel never returned to the capital even after several years had passed. Instead, she settled in the northern territory and ended up marrying the one she loved. This was a completely unforeseen circumstance, and it was also a result born from genuine feelings.
'It would be wonderful if I could just live like this forever...'
Though Uriel felt a modest happiness, she never forgot about the future she had once glimpsed. Once she had a child, her fate would begin to surge. The power of the dragon— the origin of her bloodline— had to be passed on in its entirety.
'I suppose I need to start preparing, little by little.'
Once she became pregnant, the Frost Witch would surely approach her. The Witch likely had impure intentions, but Uriel intended to use her thoroughly as well. Still, her own child would be met with adversity, and all she could do was hope that the child would overcome it.
'I have to use the curse as a medium. And once some time has passed...'
"This is the first time I'm meeting you, but I can't help but interfere. Are you really going to go through with this?"
Uriel heard a mysterious voice, but she immediately recognized who it was. Her body could not move, and the flow of time had completely stopped. It was likely that a dragon had used mana to distort the law of nature.
"There's no other way. Besides, you wouldn't help me anyway, would you?"
"You've said it wrong. It's not that I don't want to help; I simply can't. The conditions for me to descend haven't been met."
"That's because you don't have the power of the dragon anymore, isn't it?"
Uriel was already aware of this truth. Her ancestor was currently sealed away but could still manifest indirectly to their descendants. However, since only the bloodline had been inherited for now, they could only exchange limited intentions.
"Why not wait a little longer? Your method is too dangerous."
"You do realize that you bear some responsibility for this, don't you? If you had only been a bit more careful, none of this would have happened."
"I'm not trying to make excuses. I'm worried for you and your descendants."
"... If you truly wish to help, just keep an eye on my child. By then, I won't be able to intervene anymore."
Uriel made her request reluctantly, even though she remained dissatisfied. If her child became entangled with the Frost Witch and the curse, the dragon's power would begin to move in reverse. Once that happened, wouldn't the conditions for her ancestor to manifest naturally fall into place?
"If I can regain what's lost, I might be able to descend, even if only for a moment. I'll give it a try."
"Let me ask you just one thing. Did you really have to go this far?"
"It's selfishness on my part, yet it is also a decision for my descendant's sake. Had you come into contact with the Book of All Things, you would understand what I mean."
"..."
Uriel hesitated, as if she were pausing, and soon sank into silence. She had guessed at the possibility, but never imagined it could be the truth. Apparently, the Book of All Things had been influencing only a very few select individuals within its allowed range.
"It's best to leave it here. There's nothing else I can do at the moment."
With those words, the freeze on time was undone. Only then did Uriel look around, shaking off her tangled emotions. To protect herself from the Frost Witch, she needed an ally. If only her wish could be granted, her proposal would surely be accepted.
'Once we make the deal, you'll keep me safe, won't you? Even if I have to wait for a long time...'
* * *
Uriel was making her preparations, gently rubbing her swollen belly. From this point forward, no one else could enter the room. Only she and her child would face the Frost Witch— and bring everything to an end.
"Alter..."
Uriel could not take her eyes off the child in her womb, and gently spoke the name. She could barely preserve her own life, and all the burdens would be passed onto her child. Consumed with guilt, she still had no choice but to go through with her decision.
"If I don't do this, you'll only suffer more."
This was clearly distinct from the destruction of the world. From the beginning, the Frost Witch had been inevitably drawn to her because of the dragon's power. That meant her child, who carried on her bloodline, would also be entangled with the Witch.
"Even if you end up resenting me... you'll have no choice but to accept it."
Reading the mana of the Frost Witch, Uriel tried to steel her wavering heart. So far, everything was progressing as she had foreseen. If she could transfer the curse completely, Alter would survive.
"Hang on. If you endure, then fate will also..."
"It feels like it's been a long time since I've seen you. How have you been?"
Suddenly, cold air swept through the room and formed a shape. Uriel calmly regarded the figure, slowly stepping back.
"Are you here for revenge?"
"Hmmm... Revenge, you say? It did hurt a bit, but not so much that I couldn't bear it."
The Frost Witch wore a delighted expression, her eyes glinting with cold energy. It had taken her a great deal of time and effort just to suppress the rebellious force within her. Now that it was finally quiet, she could at last indulge her desires.
"I doubt you came here for no reason."
"You know as well as I do... I can't touch you. No matter how I try to control you, that's the one thing beyond me."
"..."
"So I decided to change my approach. If I make you come begging to me, that'll do, won't it?"
The Frost Witch eyed the bundle in Uriel's arms with an insidious smile. The Uriel she had wanted had grown distorted after becoming pregnant. Yet Uriel was still alive, and only a brief time had passed. If she could bind that child, Uriel would be easy to control.
"You don't realize it yet, but what do you think? Will you really be able to endure my power?"
The Frost Witch manifested a blue mass and sent it toward Uriel. Since it was not meant to harm Uriel directly, there was no backlash. It was simply a curse of binding cast toward the child in her belly.
"In your condition, casting a spell must be difficult, right? You can't block or dodge this..."
"Ugh..."
Uriel groaned and writhed as the blue mass mixed into her. This, too, was as she had foreseen, so it came as no surprise. In fact, the Frost Witch was about to lose the power she'd seized because of this curse.
"No matter what you do... you'll never win my heart. Even if I die, this won't end... And because of this curse, you'll be the one destroyed."
"Heh heh... What are you saying? Ever since you were cursed... huh?"
The Frost Witch flinched, suddenly overcome by confusion. Certainly, the curse had settled on the child within the womb, but it was not following her will. Instead, the curse was rebounding and coming into contact with Uriel's own body.
"Now, not only me, but you won't be able to harm my child, either. That's how it will be forever."
"Urgh... Aaaagh..."
The Frost Witch began writhing in agony, her body twisting due to the sudden side effects— the spell's target had abruptly changed, causing an aftereffect. The child in Uriel's belly resonated with her, and their inward darkness rebelled as well.
"How... what did you... kyaaah!"
"Fuu... haaa..."
Uriel managed to hold her breath and suppress the curse. The child inside her was safe, but could not avoid the aftershocks. She had placed protective magic, so she believed she could hold out until the birth.
"Alter... until the day you're born... I'll try to endure..."
"Ngh... kyaaagh!"
The Frost Witch, consumed by pain and Devouring, fled in haste. Uriel struggled out into the corridor. Knights and soldiers were already rushing from all directions.
"Is this really going to be all right..."
Uriel was overcome with despair as she gazed at the long farewell ahead. She herself had foreseen the future and caused it all to come about. Yet despite everything, it felt like she couldn't bear any of it.
"When you're born... I'll be..."
* * *
Uriel held the newborn child in her arms after giving birth. Perhaps it was the curse, but the child had come early. Now that she had confirmed the child's safety, she had to fulfill her promise.
"Alter... when will I ever see you again..."
Her body was disintegrating from the curse. There was no way to weaken it further. Only by using a different method could she nullify it completely.
"Zair..."
"What is it?"
"You must protect Alter. Promise me, all right?"
"I will, of course... but why say such a thing so suddenly?"
"I'm about to... ngh..."
Uriel let her arms go limp, unable to finish speaking. When she lost consciousness, her fake body would be left in her stead. With her power, she could deceive everyone.
'I'll have to be apart for a long time...'
* * *
Uriel regained consciousness and found herself staring at her. She had been sitting on the throne for some time, but now locked eyes with Uriel.
"So you didn't die. Can you move?"
"... Is this your lair?"
"Should I call it that? Not like I'm here because I like it."
She replied indifferently, glancing around. The surroundings were grey, with no visible exit. It was a completely sealed space— no one would ever discover its existence.
"Did you leave my corpse in a good spot?"
"Ah, no one found out. Everyone thinks you're really dead."
"I'd better finish this before it's too late."
Uriel rose barely to her feet and drew up her mana. She could just barely endure for now, but time was limited. She would have to stop her own time and erase only the curse.
"That was our promise, wasn't it."
"It'll probably take decades before my child comes here. Can you wait that long?"
"I've waited centuries— what's a few more decades?"
She answered calmly, with sharp eyes. If she wanted to meet her sister, she would have to break the law of nature of this world. But acting alone might only hasten her own destruction. She couldn't just wait endlessly for the time to pass, so she meant to have Uriel use a loophole.
"Then, I'll leave it to you."
Uriel converted her mana to cold air and began to envelop her body. Just as Tiksa the Frostbane had done, she would seal herself in time. Her clocks would stop, and the curse would lose its power. Even so, escaping one curse only meant she'd be frozen in time, and someone with the same power would have to undo the sealing.
"... Can your child really make it this far?"
"I believe so. That's fate."
"And I'm wrapped up in your fate, too?"
"Yes. That's why you're helping me, right?"
Uriel let out her final words and slowly closed her eyes. Her time stopped, and soon she was surrounded by a thick layer of ice. The other woman watched her sealed form for a moment before letting out a cynical laugh.
"In that case, meeting my sister will be fate, too."
[The End]